There is provided a process for preparing tercyclohexane by reacting benzene with hydrogen. The process involves the use of a catalyst comprising an acidic solid and a hydrogenation component. The acidic solid may comprise a Group IVB metal oxide, such as zirconia, modified with an oxyanion of a Group VIB metal, such as tungsten. The hydrogenation component may comprise platinum.
Benzene has had a high value as a basic petrochemical. However, current and anticipated environmental regulations have provided an incentive to convert benzene to other chemicals.
A number of reactions are known for converting benzene to other chemicals using other reactants. Examples of such reactions include alkylation with olefins, alcohols or olefinic fragments from paraffin cracking, as well as transalkylations, e.g., with xylenes.
The Morrison U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,000 describes the conversion of benzene by reaction with itself over a ZSM-5 catalyst. The products of this benzene self-reaction include light gases, alkylbenzenes, naphthalenes, and alkylnaphthalenes. The addition of hydrogen to this reaction is said to result in greater light gas yield by ring hydrocracking. The reaction conditions disclosed in the Morrison patent are somewhat severe, including temperatures generally greater than 800.degree. F. (427.degree. C.).
The Hilfman U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,033; the Chen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,823; and the Derr, Jr., et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,239 suggest that benzene in various hydrocarbon feed streams, when passed along with hydrogen under sufficient conditions over various zeolites containing hydrogenation components, may undergo hydrogenation and ring opening reactions.
As reported in the Abe et al. published European Patent Application No. 89/117750, tercyclohexane is useful as a traction-drive fluid. The Monbaliu et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,267 discloses that tercyclohexane or butyltercyclohexane may be used as a water-immiscible, high-boiling, oil-type hydrocarbon solvent component of a photographic element. The Sugimori et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,883 and the Sucrow et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,073 describe the use of various functionalized derivatives of tercyclohexane as liquid crystals.